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Here is an idea, let is do what is best for the entire county and its citizens. So, what exactly is best? Well, for now, I suppose we will go with the leaders of the Fire Departments suggestions. However, we all know they are under great pressure to conform to any requests of the commission and budgets are tight so and outside agency opinion would be best. It may not be what is done (often isn't) but at least we would know what is best for our area.

How can this be acheived? Well, frankly, our Fire Department should be accredited and evaluated by efficient accrediting agencies.

Accreditation is a way to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of a fire department by determining community risks and fire safety needs, accurately evaluating the organization’s performance, and providing a method for continuous improvement.

Furthermore, we need this for law enforcements as well. It will clearly show that RCSO is greatly understaffed and underfunded. Additionally, lack of funds for training continue to place officers lives in jeopardy as well as when they need assistance in dangerous situations.

Lets make the city better and do our best to go with national accrediting agencies that have performed extensive research to determine the best needs and procedurs for Public Safety Agencies.

This is a joke! I work for Augusta and I am disgusted with the decision. Our department has 3 of the 4 aerial trucks within 3 to four miles from each other, while the fourth is left to cover over half the county alone. While a fifth is soon to arrive and is going to placed in the middle of these, which will close the gap to an aerial truck within a 2 miles of each other. The administration is more worried with covering the "city" and leaves the rest of the county uncovered. The "fix" they have come up with is to place a reserve service truck back into service while a perfectly good 100' platform truck is sitting in a station unused. What sense does this make? None!
Our department is the 2nd largest city in Georgia, but we in no way run the department as such. My hope is the administration gets things in order or moves out of the way!